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Tim's Log
@collden I'm glad your voice is showing some improvement. I have never done much research on it, I've come across it as a symptom of thyroid issues, the liver idea is an interesting one to think about.
@lil-chick Hope you see similar progress too!
My guess my voice issue is part of the same thing that is happening to all of my facial features--drying and inflammation (ears, nose, eyes, skin, gums, throat etc etc).
A pharmacist took pity on me once and told me to use honey. Eventually I moved up to Manuka honey and always have that around.
A summary of positive healing changes since starting:
- Cured dandruff and seb derm on face and chest. It only pops up mildly once in a while when detoxing now.
- Gum disease improved, less bleeding when flossing and brushing.
- Voice much clearer most of the time, not losing voice or getting hoarse.
- Peeling lips cured.
Another benefit:
My irises are subtly but noticeably lighter and more green.
Sadly I have not seen any positive benefit from low A to my thinning hair yet. I'm not yet at 6 months tho so still early days.
In addition to low A I am massaging my scalp for about 10 min each day, often I do this in the shower. I use both hands to squeeze the scalp in different directions to remove as much sebum as possible, reduce scalp fibrosis and increase blood flow.
I have been doing the scalp massage as well, for the last year. I only do five mins in the morning. So far no excessive shedding, but still has not stopped or reversed. Jury still out on this one for now, I think I will wait until skin has healed completely or 1-2yrs before final judgement.
Good list of positive changes otherwise!
Do skin and nails have vitamin A in them, if they are slightly yellowed? It's an odd thought. Would the VA be active or just a dead remnant? Thoughts like that might make you want to cut keep cutting your hair! however,
I remember back long ago reading a theory that if you want your hair to grow in thick... you shouldn't cut it so often. I remember thinking this was very logical. Because if your hair follicles were always trying to replace what you cut off, then it wouldn't have the building blocks or time left to thicken up the plantings! 🙂 Since then I've always kind of wondered whether guys shouldn't buzz their hair so short!
I'm almost 8 months into the diet. In the last couple of days I've come down with a stomach bug yet again... Not as severe as a few months ago but I have had chills, sweating, headache, brain fog, vomiting and just feeling unwell. Maybe it's just a coincidence that I've had a similar illness twice since starting low A or maybe Vitamin A excretion is playing some role. Would be curious to hear people's thoughts?
I'm not getting extreme excretion symptoms like earlier in the diet anymore. One thing I've noticed is an outbreak of seb derm on my left jawline and a flare up of it on the left side of my chest. I've never really had a problem with it on my left jawline before, the seb derm is pretty much gone from my nasolabial folds and upper lip where it was mostly a problem. Any outbreak is much less stubborn though, if it is treated with 6% H2O2 then it clears up nicely.
Hi Tim! Sorry to hear that you haven't been feeling well. I, for sure, think that just about any symptom can be the result of vitamin A detox and that healing can hurt! Less intense bouts of brainfog/headache seem really common here and I've had that --even just yesterday. But this sounds worse. Could it be similar to one of my "food attacks"? (which are sort of mysterious)
Of course, my current theory is that a "food attack" is a more violent expression of vitamin A detox that my body decides to do...for whatever reason... in which everything must go. I've been having them since about 12 years old, and I think that was when I started building up too much vitamin A, and it was about that time I also had my first migraine. I have also called them "abdominal migraines" and that could be another way of looking at it. Three other blood relatives get these, although their forms vary a bit.
I am extremely tired but can't lay still, because the nausea will build. My nose runs and stuffs up. I generally freeze, although one of my loved ones burns instead--and lays directly on the cold bathroom tiles during the bout. For me the nausea is often not very productive, for me I get rid of the bad stuff through crampy, acidic runs. Some of my loved ones have more luck with the nausea. My bouts last about 3 hours, and the next day I feel as though I've been hit by a truck. Headaches preclude two of my loved one's bouts. Low grade headache and brain fog come the next day for me.
If I were to name a couple of things that I've become scared of (because so many bouts were associated), I would say Fried food, Travel, Pizza, Alcohol, Overeating, and Slow-cooked BBQ with Sauce.
If there was one thing that I think helps it is water. Sipping water. (diffusing the poison?) Histamines may be involved, but I've never tried taking anti-histamines or vit C to diffuse a session. Charcoal might be another thing to try? I sometimes put a touch of clay in the water. And of course lots of rest after one of these bouts.
I've been pretty darn good lately... haha don't want to jinx it...
Hi lil chick and thanks for your response. I'm thinking it was likely a bad bug from restaurant food but because VA excretion symptoms can be similar to being ill it can be confusing!